2023 Ultimate Halloween Guide for Northwest Arkansas

Family-friendly fun for Halloween in Northwest Arkansas 2023

Happy Halloween season, mamas! Enjoy this list of fun events happening around Northwest Arkansas for 2023!

FYI: Also check out our big list of other fall events, which includes NWA pumpkin patches, craft fairs, and more! 

There are also lots of non-Halloween events happening this month! Visit the October Calendar of Events.

Just click on the name of the event to find out more about each:

Sept.8-Nov. 4, 2023: Farmland Adventures. If you want to pick your own pumpkin, let the kids pet some cute animals, get lost in a corn maze and hang out on a farm for a few hours, visit Farmland Adventures. They are a tradition in Northwest Arkansas! The 2023 Corn Maze theme is “Space Exploration.” There’s a maze tracker, a mini-maze for little ones, a petting zoo, pony rides, fun treats and more.

Sept. 29-Oct. 31, 2023: Haunted Carriage Rides of Chamber Springs. Carriage and wagon rides through the Chambers Springs Woods, Siloam Springs. Family and horse-friendly event with no jump scares or actors. Tour an 18oo’s graveyard with historical legends, local ghost stories and lore of the land narrated by the driver.

Sept. 30-Oct. 31, 2023: Nightmare on Block Street. Pinpoint Fayetteville, Fayetteville. 21 and above. This Halloween Pop-up bar will feature a new Halloween-themed menu and a complete Halloween sensory overload. Events at other venues are also planned.

Sept. 30-Oct. 31, 2023: Asylum Haunted House , Cave Springs. 2023 season, open 10 nights.  Scary nights: September 30th, October 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 26-28, 31 from 7pm-midnight. Halloween night, open from 7-10 p.m.

Oct. 1-31, 2023: Scarecrow Showdown, Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, now through Oct. 31. The Scarecrow Showdown is a temporary art installation and competition showcasing handcrafted scarecrows created by the Northwest Arkansas community. Visit the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks during the month of October to see 50+ scarecrows created by individuals, families, artists, schools, organizations, businesses, and more. Guests can vote on their favorite scarecrow in each category: Amateur, Professional, or Business. An additional prize will be awarded to the “Most Creative Scarecrow!” Guests do not have to pre-register to see the creations of the Scarecrow Showdown. The experience is included in the price of daily admission, which can be purchased in person at the door. Garden members always enjoy free admission. Check bgozarks.org for daily hours of operation.

Sip and Stroll half-off admission on Tuesdays: To enjoy half-off admission & fall drinks, register for weekly “Sip & Strolls” on Tuesday nights from 5 to 7 pm on Oct. 17, 24, and 31. Guests can see the Scarecrow Showdown for 50% off regular daily admission prices and purchase fall-themed alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages. Most “Sip & Strolls” will have themes, including our “kick-off night” to welcome participants, an “awards night” to congratulate the competition winners, and a “Halloween night” to close out the event in your Halloween costumes. Visit bgozarks.org/events to learn more and to register. 

Oct. 13, 2023: Bentonville Farmers Market: POP-TOBER Fall Festival. Stop by the Bentonville Square for the last POP! Club Activity Day of the 2023 season on Saturday, Oct. 14. There will be fun, fall carnival-inspired games for all the kids. Prizes for the games include POP! dollars that your kids can use throughout the market. The POP-TOBER Fall Festival will be from 7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Be sure to stop by the Downtown Bentonville information booth for full details. All games are free.

Oct. 13-14, 2023: 7th Annual Ozarktober, various venues, downtown Springdale. Ozarktober will be held October 13-14 in downtown Springdale. Many of the events will take place outdoors and in the Downtown Outdoor Dining District. Events include games, hay rides, small bonfires for s’mores, music, and Wright’s Barbecue. This kid-friendly event is also open to friendly dogs on a leash.

Oct. 19-31, 2023: 13 Days of HallowSTEAM at the Amazeum. Join the museum for 13 days of wonder, creativity, and discovery! We’ll have spooky STEAM activities from October 19 – 31, 2023! Investigate Ice Balloons (that’ll chill your bones), build bat’apults (catapults that launch toy bats), or code an Ozobot that can get through our Halloween town safely.

Oct. 25, 2023: Halloween Costume Parade, 9-11 a.m., Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, Fayetteville. This is the last Little Sprouts program of the year, the Halloween Costume Parade. Rather than two separate morning sessions, we will combine the times of both. Drop-in from 9 to 11 am. Preschoolers and parents are encouraged to dress up, explore the garden, and enjoy a safe way to trick-or-treat. Rain date is October 26. FREE/members or $5-10/nonmembers. All costume parade guests are asked to pre-register.

Oct. 27, 2023: Tots Open Gym Halloween style. Aspire Gymnastics in Bentonville will be hosting a Tots Open Gym on three dates in October, November and December. For the first Tots Open Gym event on October 27th, your kids can wear their Halloween costumes to get an extra use out of it. Open Gym Time: 10 to 11 a.m, for kids ages 21 months to 5. Cost is $5 for the hour. Be sure to bring extra clothes with you that are comfy enough to play in during gym time. There will be goodie bags for the kids, too. It’s a great way to let your little ones burn off some extra energy in a place where they can truly run, jump, climb, play, and explore in a huge gym. It’s also a good spot to meet up with friends for a playdate.

Oct. 27, 2023: Costumes, Candy, and Cops Carnival. The 8th annual Costumes, Candy, and Cops Carnival will be at the Benton County fairgrounds from 6-8 p.m. Admission: One nonperishable food.

Oct. 27, 2023: HallowZing, a special night for children with special needs at the Amazeum. HallowZing returns on October 27, 2023 at 6-8 pm for a special night for children with special needs, their siblings and grown ups to have the Amazeum to themselves. Explore the Amazeum’s twist on Halloween themed activities and play in your favorite exhibit areas. Be sure to wear your family friendly costume so you can show it off during our glowing dance party and red carpet costume parade. There’s so much to discover during HallowZing…there’s no need for trick-or-treating for candy. HallowZing partners: Arkansas Support Network, Autism Involves Me, Down Syndrome Connection, Play with Passion, Sunshine School, Pathfinders, Ability Tree, and Thrive Autism.

Oct. 27-28, 2023: Zombie Adventure, Modern Mission. Modern Mission, Fayetteville, 7-10 p.m. both nights. Zombies have overrun the facility. Let the kids (12 and up) have some laser tag fun while battling zombies and trying to find a cure. Space is limited.

Oct. 28, 2023: 4th Annual Pumpkin Painting Contest. Trailside Coffee in Springdale. Painting begins at 4 p.m. Reserve your pumpkin up to an hour before by purchasing a drink like coffee, hot chocolate, tea, cider, etc. (One pumpkin per drink.) Art supplies provided. Separate judging categories for kids and adults. Winners announced by 6 p.m. (Last year, this event sold out!)

Oct. 28, 2023: Haunted Harmonies: A Halloween Concert, 7:30 p.m., Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville. Prepare your best, no, spookiest attire for this chillingly fun Halloween concert experience with guest conductor Lawrence Loh. The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas will play iconic Halloween tunes, evoke jarring but incredible sounds from the orchestra, and jolt everyone into a celebration of the season. Costumes are encouraged, so come dressed for a haunting (but family friendly) evening of music.

Oct. 28, 2023: Hobbs Special Event: A Living Forest Mystery, Hobbs State Park, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (timed entry avail. between 10:00 and 3:00). This non-scary family friendly event will include crafts, interactive exhibits, music and more. The main attraction will be a 40-minute guided hike along a 1/4-mile paved trail. Guests will meet and interact with costumed forest inhabitants and see if they can solve the Living Forest Mystery. Timed trail entry REQUIRES A FREE TICKET available on Stubs.net. Refreshments will be available for purchase. Parking is limited and carpooling is encouraged. Guests are welcome to wear their costumes too. No scary or gory costumes please.

Oct. 28, 2023: Treat Street, Bella Vista Public Library, noon to 2 p.m. Patrons of all ages will have the opportunity to enjoy carnival games and get loads of candy at Treat Street, the Library’s annual Halloween event. All ages are welcome to the family-friendly festival in the library’s garden and community room. The agenda for fun includes carnival games, Granny Boo story time, face painting, chalk art, a craft station, pumpkin coloring, a “selfie” photo booth and more. Costumes are encouraged but not required. Attendees should bring their own treat bag. Participants will receive a “Treat Street Passport” when they arrive, which will be stamped as they visit the activity stations. When the passport is filled, the participant will be given a small goodie bag, while supplies last. Broom and car parking spaces are limited. The activities will be held indoors in case of rain. Supplies are limited.

Oct. 28, 2023: Trick or Treat: Bentonville Farmers Market. Enjoy the last Bentonville Farmers Market of the season with some trick or treating, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dress in your best costume and take a stroll around the market. Vendors will be handing out Halloween candy. The market will still continue as normal. Shop local veggies, crafts, baked goods, and more.

Oct. 28, 2023: Halloween Harvest at FamJam, The Jones Center. The October FamJam features Shannon Wurst and her band singing songs about colors, seeds, autumn and dancing. With each song, the audience is invited to join in. Music-loving families: get ready for a harvest performance you won’t soon forget. FamJam schedule at the Jones Center.

• Movement class for kids & adults – 10am
• Public-session ice skating – 12:30-2:30pm & 7-9pm
• Public-session swimming – 12-6pm
• Shannon Wurst: Halloween Harvest – 2pm

See the full schedule of FamJam events every month at the Jones Center through May 2024.

Oct. 29, 2023: Be(Aware) Allergy-Friendly Halloween. The Fayetteville Public Library is partnering with Hedberg Allergy, Big Box Karaoke and KUAF to bring the Be(A)ware Allergy-Friendly Halloween event to the library from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will begin with special Halloween show by Mömandpöp at 10 a.m. with a repeat performance at 11 a.m. in the Event Center. The first 200 attendees at both shows will receive a goody bag. Kids are invited to visit various allergy-friendly trick-or-treat stations around the library and enjoy games on the Gathering Glade. After the show, visit the Gathering Glade for bouncy houses and head to the Youth Libraries to enjoy a special Halloween performance by the University of Arkansas Flute Ensemble. This event creates a fun, inclusive and safe space for all children, those who suffer from food allergies and those who don’t. Get your costume ready for this unique celebration!

Oct. 29, 2023: Trick Art Treat, Crystal Bridges Musuem, North Forest, Bentonville, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Have a ghoulishly good time trick-or-treating, eating candy, and capturing your genius costumes at the photo-BOO-th. They’ll also have music, live performances, and  artmaking activities for everyone—dressed up or not—to enjoy. Crystal Bridges will be participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project this year and offering non-food items at each stop in addition to candy.

Oct. 30, 2023: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Walton Arts Center. 6 p.m. Let’s do the time warp again! Dress up as your favorite Rocky Horror character and join at 6 p.m. for a pre-show costume contest and live music, followed by a screening of this cult classic.

Oct. 31, 2023: Goblin Candy Crawl, Railyard Park, downtown Rogers, 3:30-5:30 p.m. A fun Halloween evening event. Pick up a trick-or-treat bag and map from the Rogers Historical Museum booth (in Railyard Park) and start your “candy crawl” around downtown. Local businesses will be open and handing out candy to all kiddos.

Oct. 31, 2023: Costume Parade, Rogers Public Library. 4-5 p.m. Wear your costume and meet in the Children’s Library on Tuesday, October 31 at 4:00 pm. Then, follow the Children’s Librarian to parade through the library! Children will be able to stop at each service desk to trick or treat.

Oct. 31 & Nov. 2, 2023: Trick-or-Treat on the Trail/Community Pumpkin Pageant, Fayetteville’s Lower Ramble. The City of Fayetteville is hosting two family-friendly Halloween events, both free and open to the public. Trick-or-Treat on the Trail, a Halloween-costumed celebration, will be held 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31. Trick-or-treaters and their families are invited into the Fay Jones Woods, where treats will be handed out at stops along the trail between the West Ave. entrance across the Fayetteville Public Library and the Tanglewood Steps. Treats will be handed out by staff from city departments, including police and fire, as well as local non-profits. Free parking is available at the surface lot south of the library.

Additionally, a Community Pumpkin Pageant will be held Thursday, Nov. 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Lower Ramble. Residents are invited to bring carved jack-o-lanterns to build a collaborative community display of pumpkin artistry. 

Where to see spooky Halloween lights + unique haunts:

Elk River Haunted Float (in partnership with Skeleton House)

Sherman Halloween Havoc. Lights and animatronics are on from 6-9 p.m. each day. Weather permitting, walk-throughs are open during the day (no lights and sounds). 201 Pleasant View Lane, Bentonville.

The Witching Hour Food Trailer, 704 SW A St., downtown Bentonville. Eat scary food, watch scary movies.

We’ll keep this list updated, so check back!

Happy Halloween!